Showing titles in Contemporary Fiction

From the prize-winning author of Seating Arrangements comes an exquisitely written, fiercely compelling glimpse into the demanding world of professional ballet and its magnetic hold over two generations. Astonish Me is the irresistible story of Joan, a young American dancer who helps a Soviet ballet star, the great Arslan Rusakov, defect in 1975. A flash of fame and a passionate love affair follow, but Joan knows that, onstage and off, she is destined to remain in the shadows.

Summer in Edinburgh is a season of delicate sunshine and showers, picnics with loved ones in blossoming gardens and genteel celebrations of art and music. But Isabel Dalhousie's peaceful idyll is broken when a single meeting over coffee with fellow philosopher Dr George McLeod brings an irate phone call from his wife, Roz, who implacably accuses Isabel of conducting an affair with her husband.

In the '70s he was a huge pop star, with number-one hits like 'Rock On' and 'Hold Me Close'. In the '80s and '90s, he became a star of the stage with lead roles in Godspell and Mutiny! Now comes a wonderful collection of David Essex’s poetry and lyrics. Here are nostalgic poems recalling his family's traveller roots, verses filled with memories of his warm and loving boyhood and poetry reliving the highs and lows of fame.

Frances is a thirty-something sub-editor, an invisible production, drone on the books pages of the Questioner. Her routine and colourless existence is disrupted one winter evening when she happens upon the aftermath of a car crash and hears the last words of the driver, Alys Kyte. When Alys's...

Longlisted for the 2014 Dylan Thomas Prize. Mia and Lorrie Ann are lifelong friends: hard-hearted Mia and untouchably beautiful, kind Lorrie Ann. While Mia struggles with a mother who drinks, a pregnancy at 15, and younger brothers she loves but can't quite be good to, Lorrie Ann is luminous, surrounded by her close-knit family, immune to the mistakes that mar her best friend's life. Until a sudden loss catapults Lorrie Ann into tragedy: things fall apart and then fall apart further - and there is nothing Mia can do to help.

There is a mystery surrounding the invitation by Craddock Fitch to the Big House. It is billed as a celebration of his business, but as everyone in the village has been invited, it is obviously more exciting than that. When everyone is assembled, they find that it is a lavish wedding reception for two very surprising people.

*** THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR *** 'A perfect Christmas read...about family ties and forgiveness that will get you in the mood for the festive season' Woman's Way Warmth, wisdom and love on every page - if you treasured Maeve Binchy, read Patricia Scanlan. Number 1 bestselling author...

Im achtzehnten Jahrhundert lebte in Frankreich ein Mann, der zu den genialsten und abscheulichsten Gestalten dieser an genialen und abscheulichen Gestalten nicht armen Epoche gehörte. Seine Geschichte soll hier erzählt werden.

The novel is set in Varanasi. Chetan Bhagat initiates the story through the central character of Gopal. It is through Gopal's narration of his life to the author that we are introduced to Raghav and Aarti. The story revolves around these three characters. While Gopal comes from a poor family, Raghav comes from a well-off family. Both set out to achieve success and realise their dreams.

From the best-selling author of The Ice Cream Girls, The Woman He Loved Before, and My Best Friend's Girl, an emotional story about love, identity, and the meaning of family. ‘Where are you coming from with that accent of yours?’ he asks. ‘Nowhere,’ I reply. ‘I’m from nowhere.’ ‘Everyone’s from somewhere,’ he says. ‘Not me,’ I reply silently. Clemency Smittson was adopted as a baby, and the only connection she has to her birth mother is a cardboard box hand decorated with butterflies.

世界が熱狂。 女と女の衝撃のダーク・スリラー 累計170万部突破。イギリスで4冠達成。 40か国・地域で翻訳された世界的ベストセラー 「脂肪分たっぷり、ミシュラン級の極上の一冊」――Sunday Times 「文学界に旋風を巻き起こした」――BBC

It's 1932 and 27-year-old Jessica is living London life to the full when her younger brother, Tim, an ancient Egyptian archaeology expert, goes missing. Teaming up with Sir Montague Chamford - who can resist neither a damsel in distress nor the chance of adventure - Jessie vows to find her beloved brother. Following the clues Tim has left in his wake, Jessie and Monty head to Egypt. In the relentless heat of the desert, romance is kindled between them, but danger also lurks in every shadow. And then Jessie starts to wonder how much Monty really knows about her brother's disappearance....

A bestselling Richard and Judy Book Club title, The Conjuror's Bird is a dazzling debut novel, spanning three centuries of secrets and surprises. It seems a long time ago that Fitz and Gabby were together, with his work on extinct species about to make him world-famous. Now, it's his career that...

Martin, sechsundsiebzig, wird von einer ärztlichen Diagnose erschreckt: Ihm bleiben nur noch wenige Monate. Sein Leben und seine Liebe gehören seiner jungen Frau und seinem sechsjährigen Sohn. Was kann er noch für sie tun? Was kann er ihnen geben, was ihnen hinterlassen? Martin möchte alles richtig machen. Doch auch für das späte Leben gilt: Es steckt voller Überraschungen und Herausforderungen, denen er sich stellen muss.

Esta historia comienza el día en que una madre y su hija adolescente llegan a Sicilia, durante un verano de vientos impredecibles, repentinas tormentas y volcanes que amenazan con entrar en erupción. La madre acaba de dejar atrás un divorcio difícil y sabe que es hora de encontrarle un nuevo inicio a su vida. A medida que pasan los días en la isla, crece la curiosidad de la hija por la historia de la Nonna, su bisabuela, que trabajó como excavadora en un yacimiento arqueológico antes de emigrar a las Américas.

J’ai voulu y croire, j’ai voulu rêver que le royaume de la littérature m’accueillerait comme n’importe lequel des orphelins qui y trouvent refuge, mais même à travers l’art, on ne peut pas sortir vainqueur de l’abjection. La littérature ne m’a pas sauvée. Je ne suis pas sauvée. Neige Sinno lit elle-même son texte, insufflant une force supplémentaire à son bouleversant récit autobiographique.

Being immortal isn't all it's cracked up to be. Life's hard for a Greek god in the 21st century: Nobody believes in you any more, even your own family doesn't respect you, and you're stuck in a dilapidated hovel in North London with too many siblings and not enough hot water.

Ghost Children is a compassionate and gritty examination of love and loss from one of Britain's most-loved writers, Sue Townsend How can she leave the past behind when he won't let her? Seventeen years ago Angela Carr aborted an unwanted child. The child's father, Christopher Moore, was...

A dark and disturbing new story from the master of the crime genre. A famous writer asks a box man to open an old safe that comes with the mansion he's just bought. It's not as easy a job as he's used to, but with money being tight and a child on the way, it'll pay to persevere - unless, of course, this is actually the job that will change things and haunt him for ever. Read by David W. Collins.

Jess Penhaligon is on her way to Devon to receive an award for her botanical painting. Hosting her will be Kate, who gladly welcomes her into her home. Jess's own family fell apart several years ago, so she is grateful for Kate's friendliness - and her close unit of extended family and friends, who embrace Jess just as warmly. As this group begins reminiscing on their pasts and sharing their stories with Jess, it becomes apparent that her family history may be linked with theirs.